Lately, I’ve been coming across more and more ebay listings for binders full of WoTC/older era cards. That at first glance, seem as though the seller is trying to sell an old collection, without directly saying its an old collection (some directly state it is). A quick look at the seller’s other listings often turns up multiple listings of similar binders. Maybe I’m wrong in my assumption, but it really seems to me like these sellers are putting cards into new/vintage binders themselves to try and get a premium price. A price paid mostly by novice buyers who think they are buying somebody’s untouched for 20+ years childhood collection full of gradable cards, when in reality they are being mislead into buying mostly played quality junk.
I’d really like to get other people’s thoughts on this because if this is in fact what is happening, it’s pretty damn grimey lol.
P.S - I’ve actually had somebody recently buy an old beat up black Wotc 4 pocket binder, the one with the Kanto starters and pikachu on the front. Out of curiosity, I searched their sold listings on ebay and they had a recent sale of that exact same binder which was full of older cards. Coincidence? Benefit of the doubt? Maybe? If it look like a Psyduck, swims like a Psyduck, and quacks like a Psyduck. Then it’s probably a Psyduck.
While this is a psychological manipulation trick, which makes it deceitful, I also think there’s some personal responsibility on the buyer. If you choose to buy a binder without knowledge of the condition, you are entering a gamble where it’s very easy to lose.
Not to mention the fact that someone who buys this to get gradable cards is hoping to purchase from a novice seller that doesn’t know how to value their cards properly. Both sides are trying to take advantage of the other’s ignorance. Maybe it’s a perfect match.
I agree, the buyer does bear some responsibility for blindly buying without doing any due diligence. Its still a very shady practice by the seller. Although, you do make a good point that the buyer is ultimately trying to decieve the seller in hoping they are ignorant to what they have.
A seller deceitfully trying to trick someone into buying something on a pipe dream is different than a buyer not bearing the responsibility to inform a seller of the value of a product they’re trying to sell. In the information age “taking advantage of a seller’s ignorance” is a bit laughable. Everyone is out for a good deal and I highly doubt the majority of e4 members wouldn’t pay the asking price if an ignorant seller severely undervalued their collection. Unless of course you subscribe to the dblast investing club and overpay for everything.
@amcgl58 I think it all comes down to the sellers intention. If they are intentionally trying to deceive shame on them. I do think it is also wrong to assume a binder collection on eBay is going to contain undervalued goods. Look over the pictures ask questions…if you don’t get a response don’t buy the item. I think many of us have seen all the tricks in the book on Japanese marketplaces so are not as fazed by this.
I do take quite a bit of interest in the “childhood collection” type of lots.
The one thing I’ve learned that if the account has a history of selling other trading cards, you are 99% of the time looking at a cherrypicked collection.
Some of listings are even smart enough to bait you out with a page of low end holos.
I personally find no problem with it, in the end it’s the buyer who is making the decision to purchase them with the information they were provided.
Its funny because they will be labelled as “WOTC”, biggest giveaway. Its pretty easy to know if its an actual old collection; look at their other listings, look at the words used, and look at their name. I am sure people fall for that type of thing, but if someone is saying words like WOTC, 99% of the time they know value.
I don’t have an example listing on hand at the moment, but its essentially seller’s staging binders/listings to make it seem like its a found/vintage collection.
I don’t have an example listing on hand at the moment, but its essentially seller’s staging binders/listings to make it seem like its a found/vintage collection
definitely grimey. They don’t even tell you what all cards are included let alone what the condition of each card is, it’s basically a lottery listing and nobody should buy that. It’s borderline reportable because they don’t tell you what all is included and lottery listings are against ebay tos
Tbf the prices seem fair for a lp collection. You can probably even make money piecing them out.
One thing to note, this isn’t unique to ebay. Its been happening for years on yahoo japan. Sellers would place the most valuable cards on the top. I always bid as if those are the only good cards. Basically as a buyer I just assume the worst for ungraded.
Do your own due diligence, these lots still broken down priced individually many times are worth more. I have started to sell some raw ungraded singles lately and I am amazed at what some of these cards are selling for.
